Carter was born Lillie Mae Jones on 16th May 1929 in Flint, Michigan and grew up in Detroit, where her father led a church choir. She studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory. She won a talent contest and became a regular on the local club circuit, singing and playing piano. When she was sixteen, she sang with Charlie Parker. She later performed with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and toured with Lionel Hampton (from whom she received the nickname "Betty Bebop"), when she perfected her scat singing of bebop.
Her career was eclipsed somewhat during the 1960s and 1970s, though a series of duets with Ray Charles in 1961, including the R&B-chart-topping "Baby, It's Cold Outside", brought her a measure of popular recognition. She recorded for various labels during this period, including Peacock, ABC-Paramount, and Atco, but was rarely satisfied with the resulting product. An episode in which a record company A&R man tried to abscond with a set of her master recordings led her to establish her own record label, Bet-Car, in 1970. Some of her most outstanding recordings were first issued on Bet-Car, including the double album The Audience with Betty Carter (1980). She was well-received at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1977 and 1978. In 1987 Carter signed with Verve Records. She won a Grammy in 1988 for her album Look What I Got! and sang in a guest appearance on The Cosby Show in that year.
She died on 26th September 1998.
Side By Side
Betty Carter Lyrics
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Maybe we're ragged and funny;
But we'll travel along, singin' a song,
Side by side.
Don't know what's comin' tomorrow,
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow;
But we'll travel the road, sharin' our load,
Through all kinds of weather,
What if the sky should fall; but
As long as we're together,
It doesn't matter- matter at all.
When they've all had their quarrels and parted,
We'll be the same as we started;
Just travelin' along, singin' a song,
Side by Side.
The opening stanza of Betty Carter's "Side By Side" is a declaration of contentment in the midst of financial struggles. The couple admits to not having a lot of money and possessing a quirky appearance, but they do not let any of that get to them. Instead, they remain united, upbeat, and focused on their journey. Together, they walk forward, acknowledging there may be hardships in the future, but they will undoubtedly face them "side by side." They are committed to staying positive, always ready to sing a song to uplift their spirits, even if things don't go as planned.
The second stanza acknowledges the reality that trouble and sorrow are likely to be the couple's companions in the years to come. The future is uncertain, and there may be difficult moments on the horizon, but they will not be facing them alone. They will be carrying the load together, comforted by each other's company. The third stanza speaks to the resilience of love between them. The sky may fall tomorrow, but as long as they are together, all of the challenges will be manageable. The final stanza is a testimony to the song's resounding message of unity in challenging circumstances. When others part ways, the couple will continue walking together, singing the same song that they started with.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money,
Even though we don't have much money,
Maybe we're ragged and funny;
And we might not have the fanciest clothes,
But we'll travel along, singin' a song,
We'll still be happy and make the most of what we have,
Side by side.
As long as we're together, nothing can bring us down.
Don't know what's comin' tomorrow,
We don't know what the future holds,
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow;
It's possible we'll face some tough times,
But we'll travel the road, sharin' our load,
But we'll face those challenges together,
Side by Side.
And we'll come out stronger on the other side.
Through all kinds of weather,
No matter what obstacles come our way,
What if the sky should fall; but
Even if the world seems to be falling apart,
As long as we're together,
As long as we have each other,
It doesn't matter- matter at all.
We'll be able to get through anything.
When they've all had their quarrels and parted,
When others have fought and gone their separate ways,
We'll be the same as we started;
We'll still be together, just like when we began,
Just travelin' along, singin' a song,
Just enjoying each other's company and singing our song,
Side by Side.
Staying close and supporting each other no matter what.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY WOODS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind